Meet April!
by emmajoyful
Summary: April is a young girl who finds herself pressed into Luffy's crew. April is searching for her father's legendary treasure, but a traitor may be among the crew, who is it? Or is it a stowaway? Is it April? Is it Sanji? Is it Zoro? Or is the Captain just looking at the wrong people? Rated T because, it's ONE PIECE!
1. Enter April

Author's note:

I'm so so so sorry to the people who subscribed to the other version... this might sound stupid, but I can't figure out how to make a "Next Chapter" and connect it to the previous one. Could someone please help?

Also, until I figure this thing out, I will just post the next chapter as "Meet April Chapter _"

Thanks for understanding/ help? :P

* * *

CHAPTER ONE: Enter April

(Before time skip- and this fanfic may be LONG)

* * *

_Nine years ago . . ._

"Come inside, Mr. Swordsboy." The hotel lady grinned at the young boy with green hair and three swords.

"Why?" He asked, staring out at the field where he had just come from. The full moon lit up the dark green grass, and wind whistled gently through the trees.

"Just-" The lady blushed a little. "It may sound silly- but there are evil creatures out there- creatures that bite. Please, young sir, come inside before they come out."

Zoro thought she was crazy, and continued on his way, thinking nothing of it.

_Half an hour later_

Zoro looked back and saw that the hotel had closed all of its windows and shut its lights off.

That's odd, Zoro thought, it's not that late out yet.

Suddenly, Zoro felt a chill run down his spine, and he got intensely scared. Normally, he would have tried to fight the- whatever was behind him- but this he could sense in his bones- this, this was evil.

So he ran.

* * *

_After the Enies Lobby_

Since they rescued Robin, the crew has been closer than ever, and things were going well.

It is a normal day for the crew of the 1000 Sunny. Zoro is on his sixth nap that afternoon, Sanji's making something in the kitchen, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper are playing tag, Nami and Robin are discussing books, Franky's building something, and Brooke is playing his violin.

All the crew knows is that they're heading to the next island, and Nami's lockpost keeps changing directions.

Eventually, the lockpost stops and points exactly south. Nami shouts, "Usopp, get up in the crow's nest and start scouting!"

"I'm going, I'm going." Usopp replies, climbing the rope to the crow's nest.

Five minutes later, Zoro's still asleep and the last one still on the deck, when Usopp shouts, "Zoro! There's someone in the water!"

Immediately, Zoro wakes up. He strips off his boots, shirt, and swords, and leaves them on the deck.

He dives into the water, swimming quickly to the spot where Usopp's pointing.

Zoro reaches the spot, and clambers onto the raft that the stranded person is on. Once on the raft, Zoro realizes that it's a young girl.

She's on her side, and Zoro can see that she has indigo hair with yellow tips. Her skin is pale, and there is a small black star on her cheek. She wears a white tank top with a lightning bolt on the right side, and rainbow- ish Capri shorts. Her white boots match her shirt, with lightning bolts on the right sides.

Her eyes are closed, and her hand is loosely curled around a black whip that seems on the edge of breaking.

Zoro reaches out to take her back to the ship, when her eyes shoot open. The girl eyes him suspiciously.

"Who are you?" She demands, trying to get away from him. "You seem familiar..."

"I'm Roronoa Zoro. You're stranded- so come with me back to my ship. Hang onto me, and I'll swim us both back there." Zoro replies, holding his hand out.

She slaps it away. "Are you crazy? If I touch the water, I'll drown!" She snarls, and electricity seems to crackle down her hair.

"Sorry, sorry. You ate a Devil Fruit, then?" Zoro inquires.

"Yes I did. I ate the crackle- crackle fruit. I am made of electricity." She replies. Like Eneru, Zoro thinks. "I am April, cousin of Cutty Flam, otherwise known as Franky."

* * *

Apologies:

Again, sorry for all of the trouble.

Sorry for making this chapter really short, and any confusion caused by it. If you have questions that need answering, please read all of the other chapters first and if that still doesn't answer it, please write it in the review! :) I will try my best to answer any questions at all, either in the fanfic or in the authors notes at the bottom.

Thanks,

EJ, signing out


	2. Nightmares

CHAPTER TWO: Reunion

After some arguing with April, Zoro ends up tugging the raft behind him as he swims back to the ship. It proves to be a difficult task, but eventually, Zoro puffs to the Thousand Sunny.

"Who's the girl?" Usopp calls, hoisting Zoro and the girl up onto the deck.

"Yasopp! Thank the heavens!" April cries, clutching Usopp in a tight hug. Usopp's eyes nearly pop out of his head.

"You know my father?" Usopp manages, completely caught off guard as to how strong she is.

April lets go and takes a step back. "My mistake. You must be Usopp, his son. How could I get the two of you mixed up? You're so handsome!"

Usopp puffs his chest out. "I, the mighty captain Usopp, will protect you from anything!" Zoro hides a snicker and disappears to get-

"MEAT! SANJI! I'M HUNGRYYYYY!" Luffy yells, spring up from below deck. "Huh? Zoro, who's this girl?"

"I- I'm April Flam- and you- you're-" April stutters, and reaches into her pocket. "You're him." She points to a wanted poster with Luffy's face plastered on it, the price of 300 million berries.

"Yupp, that's me!" Luffy grins his crazy grin, adjusting his straw hat. "Wait- Flam seems fimiliar-"

Franky bursts on deck. "SUPEEER! I thought I heard my cousin up here!" Franky says excitedly, grabbing her into a hug.

"You two are related? Wow- that's so cool!" Chopper exclaims.

"Actually, we're technical cousins. I'm from his Franky House." April explains as she pulls nine more wanted posters. "Cotton candy lover!" April recognizes, and Chopper blushes.

_She is cuteeeee_~! He thinks, grinning.

Then she turns to Franky. "Can you really breath steam?" She questions. Franky nods and April looks at Usopp, comparing him to the picture of Sogeking. "Is this you?"

Usopp shakes his head quickly. "Nah, that's my friend . . ."

Suddenly, April clutches her stomach and keels over. "April!" Usopp, Luffy, Franky, Zoro and Chopper cry.

* * *

Fifteen hundred miles away, on the deck of _The Cry of the Shark_, Asta Gwhenifar strolled angrily towards her first mate, Hulder.

"How could you let her escape?" Asta bellows, her beautiful face contorted in rage. "We had the whole other ship IN OUR GRASP and we knew she was on there- and she's eaten a devil fruit- so she's not in the water! The ship was blasted into smithereens- AND YET SHE STILL ESCAPED?"

"Yes, Captain Asta." Comes the reply.

"Well hurry up and use your devil fruit power and find her!" Asta growls, throwing a jacket at him.

"What's going on?" One of the captured hostages asks innocently.

"Hulder ate the tracker tracker fruit, and as long as he has something of yours, he can find you," explains a member in a hushed tone. "Once he gets a whiff of your scent, he can locate you in seconds. And I feel bad for the ship that now has her as a stowaway."

* * *

Nami and Robin pick up the wanted posters that April had dropped earlier. "Look, Navigator- san. She has all of our wanted posters."

"Maybe she was looking for Franky, Robin." Nami replies, flipping through the stack. "Hang on. Who's this?"

Nami shows Robin a picture of a dark night with a creepy looking girl staring straight at the camera, a thirsty look in her eye.

Her dark purple hair flows just over her shoulders, also dark purple eyes staring into your soul, electrifying the dark sky behind her. A crescent moon is on her cheek, glowing an evil red.

The caption says, 'The Electric Vampire- 400 million berries' "God, Robin, that girl is more than Luffy!" Nami gasps.

"Vampire... I want to go look that up in the library." Robin tells Nami. "Why don't you come with me?"

Half an hour later, Robin holds a crew meeting- and every one but Sanji shows up. "Aw, let the curly eyebrow love cook do whatever. He'll just complain." Zoro rolls his eyes and gives his attention to Robin.

"Alright. Have you guys ever heard of vampires?" Robin asks in creepy voice.

Immediately, Chopper and Usopp cower in fear behind Franky. "V-v-v-v- vampire?" Chopper squeaks.

"You mean those blood sucking creatures that attack you in the full moon?" Usopp gasps, a look of doubt on his face.

"Cool! Zoro! I want a vampire in my crew!" Luffy yells, glaring at Zoro. "Go find me one!"

"Hold it Luffy, Robin isn't done explaining stuff yet!" Nami growls, making her angry face at the captain.

"Anyway, according to historians, vampires are cursed creatures- they're really humans who were kidnapped when they were young children. The children were brought to the vampire leader- he had eaten the blood blood fruit- and he would be immortal as long as he drank blood under a full moon. He'd bite the children and drink their blood, turning them into half immortal souls as long as they drank blood in the full moon too. Half the time, the vampires wouldn't remember what they had done, and they had no idea how dangerous they were." Robin continues.

"The rumours of vampires biting you in the neck are false- they bite you on the cheek five times, turning the cut into a star that looks like a black tattoo. Once the light of a full moon touches the star, it activates the vampire blood crave and and changes the star into a crescent moon." Robin pauses.

"Wait. April has a black star on her cheek-" Zoro begins, and realization falls over the crew.

"According to Zoro, she ate the crackle crackle fruit- so she can use lightning and stuff. And look at this wanted poster." Nami shows them.

"'The Electric Vampire'," Brooke reads. "Sounds scary- if I had ears!"

Franky demands, "Wait. You don't mean to say that my cousin's a vampire?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Robin informs them. Everyone looks shocked or scared, and then Luffy freaks out.

"I'm gonna go ask her to join my crew!" Luffy yells, about to bound down the stairs to girls' room.

Suddenly, they hear a girl's scream and ALL of them rush down the stairs.

It ends up like this: Franky is worried immediately and goes first, before the rest of the rush. Then he runs over Luffy and the two of them starts tumbling down the staircase.

Usopp and Chopper rush to help, and in turn trip over Nami and Robin. The four of them reach for Zoro- only Luffy gets there first. Using his stretchy arms, he grabs Zoro, who squishes Robin, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper on the way of being dragged down the stairs.

Somehow Brooke gets tangled up in this too, and the eight of them roll/ tumble/ squeeze down the staircase.

April starts screaming again.


	3. Traitors

Author's note:P

Yeah, yeah. It's called Franky FAMILY, not Franky HOUSE, I'm really sorry, but it's stuck in my head as Franky House, so, please, bear with me.

* * *

April awakes in a comfortable bed, in a cozy room. She notes that she's on one of two beds.

The room also has a door to an open closet, half of which contain mostly purple clothing, and the other half containing random clothes but cute all the same.

She remembers clutching her stomach and fainting, and now she remembers waking up here.

Stretching, April finds a bandage over the spot where her cut used to be. Not wanting to think about how she got it, she starts getting out of bed but topples over from having no energy.

Groaning, April looks up as a door to her right (one that she hadn't noticed before) opens and a blonde walks in.

"Aww, April- chan! You're even cuter in person!" The blonde man announces, his body getting jiggly- jello like, hearts forming in his eyes.

April scoots as far away from the new comer. As soon as she sees his curly eye brow, her eyes reflect fear. "Blackfoot Sanji," She breathes, "You're even creepier in person!" Then she starts screaming.

"No, no, no ... shhh, don't scream!" Sanji expresses hurriedly, clamping a hand over her mouth. "Don't worry. I'm this ship's cook, can I get you anything to eat/ drink?"

A loud crash is heard from the door Sanji left open. "Please promise that you won't scream." He begs, letting go of April's mouth and turning towards the location of the sound.

April screams again. "There's a pervert! In the same room as me! Heeeeeeeeeeeelp!"

A giant mob of people enter the room. Luffy bounces over to her as the rest of the crew crams in too.

"Hey April," Luffy begins with the biggest grin on his face, "Wanna join my crew?"

April is currently baffled, whether from the ten people trying to fit in one room, or the sudden question from Luffy- it's impossible.

"Luffy! Take it easy! She's lost a lot of blood!" Chopper warns cautiously, and Luffy looks a bit calmer.

"Why don't we go up stairs and we can all talk? Let's get in order of how we joined the crew, kay guys?" Nami suggests, and everyone but Zoro head out the door.

April turns to Zoro. "You're really strong, can you help me get up the stairs?" She asks, blushing a little.

"Yeah sure, whatever." Zoro replies, reaching over and scooping her up in his ams.

"Is that blonde guy part of your crew?" She questions, wincing a little now that she's noticed the pain again.

"What, you mean Sanji?" Zoro shakes his head. "He drives me nuts, that love cook, but yeah, he's part of the crew- the cook, or whatever."

April buries her face in Zoro's shirt. "His eyebrow scares me ..." She mumbles, "And he's worse than his picture shows."

"Tell me about it!" Zoro laughs as he climbs the stairs.

"Aprillllll! Join my crew!" Luffy complains, looking longingly at her.

"Well, I- um yes-" April stutters nervously as Zoro sets her gently on her feet.

"Don't feel any pressure, April. He asks just about any one to join." Nami explains.

"Why don't we go around and say our name, ocupation, and intention?" Robin suggests. "It may help April decide better."

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, but you already know that. I'm the captain, and I'm gonna be king of the pirates!" Luffy declares, and then steals a look at Sanji. "And I'm getting hungry."

"Roronoa Zoro. Swordsman and first mate." Zoro starts lazily, "And one day I want to become the world's greatest swordsman."

"I'm Nami," Nami grins at the girl. "I'm the navigator, and I'm working on a map of the world."

"I'm Captain Usopp! I'm the sniper- and I'm also on the lookout for my father."

"I'm-"

"Scary!" April moans, enticed by Sanji's eyebrows. "You're the cook, the creepy blonde."

"-Sanji." Sanji finishes.

"And I know Robin and Franky, but who are you?" April adds, turning to Brooke.

"I'm Brooke, and I'd think you're pretty- if I had a brain!" Brooke laughs, and Luffy and Chopper join in. "I'm a skeleton," He finishes explaining.

"Y- you don't want me in your crew, seriously, it's too dangerous, in fact, I should be leaving right now . . ." April stammers, backing away.

"Why? We already know that you're a vampire, and I mean, that's SO COOL!" Luffy holds up April's wanted poster. "And you're worth more than I am! Kshishishi!"

"Y-yeah, there's a- a r-r-r-reason for that." April, clearly frightened now, states. The crew exchanges a look.

"Explain. Don't worry, Luffy will listen, and so will we." Chopper says sympathetically, crossing his arms.

Luffy and the rest of the gang nod, and Robin puts an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

April sighs, and looks out at the distant ocean. "Well, I guess that you guys should know that I'm fifteen." April speaks in a low voice, looking around at the nine interested faces. She hasn't even told FRANKY this, and now she's telling almost complete strangers her story.

Taking a deep breath, April plunges in.

* * *

_Five years ago, on Water Seven_

April Gwhenifar was celebrating her tenth birthday with her new family from the Franky House, and the leader, the super Franky (who was now her cousin) was letting her ride on his shoulders as they played lots of party games.

They started playing hide and seek, one of the family's favourites. Franky was counting, and everyone else was hiding. April went as far away as she could, laughing silently, to the very edge of the Franky House property.

She crouched behind a large barrel and then almost gasped loudly when she saw her mother.

"April! April, thank goodness we found you!" She cried, and beckoned April toward her. "Come quickly, your father, he's dying-"

That got April on her feet. She loved her father so much, but she ran away because no one loved her at home any more. They ignored her, yelled at her, and made her do all the chores and never really gave her much to eat any more.

April hesitated, should she help her so called 'family'. "Didn't you hear me, I said quickly!" Her mother snapped. April followed her mother down a dark alley and to one of the docks.

Lifting her skirts, April's mother boarded the largest ship April had ever seen. Literally, her mother then dragged her into one of the inner rooms.

She knew something was wrong when her mother started sobbing, someone pulledd her mother out of the room and slammed the door.

"Welcome- April. Haven't seen you in a while, dear." Her older sister, Asta glowed.

Asta, purple hair flowing down her back and a few strands covering her beautiful face, was any little sister's role model. She was so lovely, and April was almost twenty years younger than the twenty year old girl.

"Yeah, well, no one was being nice, so I found a new family." April glowers, kicking the floor.

"April, see this star on my cheek?" Asta looked at her, and April nodded. "You want one like it?" April nodded again, this time eagarly. She always wanted to be like her big sister, and her big brother, Hudler had one too. He got his on his tenth birthday, and April assumed that Asta got hers on her tenth birthday as well.

"Close your eyes, and I'll give you one." Asta tells her, and April closes her eyes immediately, thinking that this was going to be the best birthday present ever.

Soon she felt a searing pain on her cheek, jerking back, she felt her older sister's arms around her. "Shh, April, dear. Only four more, ok? Hold still."

Three more sharp pricks, stinging worse each time. A thought flashes through her mind. "What about dad? Is he dying?" She asks blindly, her eyes still shut.

"He's fine." Asta snaps, and then her voice changes back to nice. "And dad's going to give the inheritance to me soon. He's perfectly happy, just old and retiring. Now, just one more-"

This time the pain shot through her skull, and she fell to the floor, unconscious.

She awoke in a different room, this time with Hulder, Asta, and her father, laying on a bed, clearly close to death. "ASTA! You lied to me! You told me he was fine!" April bursts out, and Hulder covers her mouth.

"Shut up, April." Asta retorts. "Can't you see? If you were worried, you would have been tense, and then the star wouldn't have turned out right, got it?"

Asta looks now about fifteen, and April is shocked. Asta's about thirty-

"My dear children. I am going to give you two devil fruits- Asta, since you've already eaten one, these are for the younger two. The tracker tracker fruit, and the crackle crackle fruit." Their father interrupts. "You know that the inheritance leads to part of the lost treasure of Gol D. Rodger- and only one of you can posses it. April, I am so sorry that you got a star, so I am giving you the inheritance, and your choice of devil fruit."

Out of his coat he produces two devil fruits, one glowing a deep red, and the other crackling with electricity. April grabs the electric one, and shoves it in her mouth.

Their father hands the red devil fruit to Hulder, and takes out a metal ball. He forms it into a lightning bolt, and hands it to April with a cough. "This here will point you in the right direction of the treasure, and people who can help you. Whoever holds the lightning bolt will be the only one to know which direction to go. Unless of course, you lead other people to it. Guard it with your life."

And with that, their father died.

Asta and Hudler grabbed for April, but she was already out the door, leaping and twisting around the ship until she got off.

"Marines! This little girl stole my valuable charm! Someone, help!" Asta screamed, pointing at April.

Marines poured out of nowhere, surrounding April automatically. "Hand over the charm, missy, and no one gets hurt." The marine leader commanded.

Power surged through April, nearly knocking her off of her feet as storm clouds gathered over head. Suddenly April remembered all the things Asta had ever done to her.

Hit her, picked on her, lied to her, stole things from her, framed her of crimes, 'lost' her in crowds, ignored her, made her her personal servant, and so on.

She raised her hand and lightning came down from the sky, and connected to her hand. She nearly toppled over in excitement. She shot the electricity at the Marines as it began to rain.

Using the wetness of the Marines, April figured out that she could basically electrocute them and not have to go anywhere near them at all.

The full moon shone through, and the little girl launched herself at the Marine leader, biting, scratching and hitting, craving blood. The moon disappeared behind the clouds as the Marines stumbled away.

April crawled back to the Franky House property, and cried.

* * *

_A day from the present_

She had doomed them all.

"Please, put all you've got into the sails, captain!" April cried, but it was already too late.

Asta and Hulder and the rest of the crew boarded the ship. The honest sailors pulled out swords and the fight began. April panicked and started for a raft over board.

One of Asta and Hulder's men found her. She only had her whip on her at the time, and used it to snap his spine. This drew more men to her, and brought Asta as well.

Asta lashed out, slicing April's side and nicking the whip. "Give me the lightning bolt,"Asta hissed, and April sneered painfully.

"You want lightning, sis? Then I'll give you lightn-" She began, but Hulder slashed her again and she fell over.

"Fine, we'll play it painfully- your way." Asta yelled loudly.

April saw Asta and Hulder return to their own ship, and one of the men breathed fire on the sailor ship, while Asta ordered the rest of the man to fire cannons at the ship.

Jumping over board, April landed on the raft as she watched the sailor ship start sinking into the ocean. Asta and Hudler scrambled over to the ruins, looking for her and shooting anyone who wasn't.

* * *

Author's note

Longer, yay! Please R&R, makes me write faster knowing that someone's waiting for me to finish. :)

EJ, signing out


	4. Sisters

At this point, it's nearly night, and April is nearly crying, and she knows it. But it didn't matter, Luffy's crew is close to tears too. "And she hates me, she wants to kill me, her own sister!"

Luffy strides over to April and pulls her to his chest, her face buried in his red vest. "April, join my crew, ok? I can protect you from your sister, and the rest of my nakama can help too, you're gonna be ok, alright?" Luffy asks softly to the young girl sobbing in his arms.

April nods. "I'll join your crew, thank you, Luffy." April says as a cannon fires behind them.

Luffy turns to Zoro. "Bring her downstairs and protect her, ok? I'm gonna kick her sister and her brother's butts! One of my nakama is NOT going to be treated like this!"

Zoro scooped April up in his arms and they disappeared downstairs together.

"What does the pretty April have against me?" Sanji whined, looking defeated. Then he brightened up. "Maybe I should make her something special, yes-!"

Sanji started to disappear into the kitchen, but Luffy stopped him. "If how April described them attacking the ships correctly, then we're going to need as much help as possible."

The crew (minus Zoro and April) assumed battle formation positions, ready and waiting. Soon they saw _The Cry of the Shark_ approaching the Thousand Sunny. "Get ready," Luffy warned, getting the look of determination in his eye.

"Wait!" Chopper interupted. "Aren't Asta and Hulder vampires too?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Luffy shrugs, gearing up.

_The Cry of the Shark_ sails past, and the Straw Hat Pirates are puzzled. "Shouldn't they have attacked us?" Nami asks, confused. "They surely haven't given up already?"

"Of course n-" Franky begins, then is distracted by something. "Duck! Everyone!"

Everyone hits the floor as fire roars over them, burning, then as quickly as it was there, it stops. The seven crew members rose slowly, on edge.

Franky stood triumphantly in his "Super" position. "Super Sea water power~!" Franky explains, "There was a devil fruit user, of breath breath fruit, and he blowing on a blowtorch."

"Good quick thinking, Franky!" Robin compliments as a cannon is fired and Franky blushes.

Luffy automatically puffs up and 50+ cannon balls bounce off of him and hit_ The Cry of the Shark._

* * *

Asta yells in surprise as her breath breath fruit user falls overboard, ALL of the cannon balls they fired come back at them, and a hand reaches out of nowhere and grabs Asta.

Hulder yells as well, and grabs onto the hand.

* * *

"They're making a lot of noise up there," April says worriedly, clutching her side in pain.

"Stop worrying yourself over them. They'll be fine." Zoro reassures her, patting her on the shoulder sort of awkwardly. "Luffy and the love cook are up there, not to mention Nami, Robin, Chopper, Usopp, Franky, and Brooke."

April nods, but still uncertainly. Then she pauses. "It's quiet now, almost too quiet," She whispers softly, and Zoro looks up, alarmed. "It's almost as if no one's up there any more."

Zoro begins to unsheath his swords. "Stay here," the green haired swordsman tells her, and then he dashes silently and quickly up the stairs.

Ten minutes later, Zoro still hasn't returned, and it's eerily quiet on the ship. April begins to worry and fidget, and lets her self count to 500 before slowly ascending the stair case.

On deck, everything is still, showing no signs of a fight.

Thanks to the wanted posters, April knows that that is not possible- especially for her sister, Luffy, and Zoro. She grips her whip tightly, even though it's still half broken.

It smells a little like smoke and she looks around in the ocean for the_ Cry of The Shark__, _but she sees nothing.

"Oh, dear sister, looking for something?" April spins around painfully at Asta's taunting voice.

Beautiful and terrible at the same time, Asta stands proudly in front of April's crew.

All nine of them are spun up into web- cocoon and hanging from the sail. "H-how?" April stutters, "I didn't know that you had someone who ate the sea- sea fruit!"

"Fine. I don't know why I'm going to explain it to you since I'm going to kill you anyway."

"April dear, I didn't eat the sea- sea fruit- which allows you to bend the sea into whatever you need. I didn't eat the blood- blood fruit- the vampire one. I ate the copy- copy fruit- which means whoever I kill, I can use their fruit." Asta grins evilly.

Before April can move, she's caught in a sea web, and starts losing energy. "Let me go! You know I ate a devil fruit too, this hurts," She chokes out.

April, horrified, gapes as Asta turns to the nine straw hats behind her. "Let's see. Which ones of you have devil fruits?"

She walks down the line, moving Zoro, Usopp, Nami, Sanji, and Franky out of the way- and into the clutches of _her_ crew, who have all somehow gotten aboard the Thousand Sunny.

"Hmm, let's drown your friend the Great Captain Luffy first, shall we?"

"N-no!" April cries as Asta takes a step towards Luffy.

Asta 'bumps' into him and he topples over board. "Opps," Asta says in mockery. "My bad. Who's next? Ahh yes, the reindeer."

"And the purple cow girl."

"Finally this repulsive skeleton. And I'll turn in the rest of the crew for their bounties. You have nothing left here, April. Give me the lightning bolt- and storms this time!"

April starts sobbing. "You killed them! Why do you hate me so much?"

* * *

Clinging to the side of the Thousand Sunny, Luffy supports Chopper, Robin, and Brooke.

"Is she crying?" Luffy demands in an undertone. The other three members of the straw hat crew nod grimly.

* * *

_Flash back_

_Luffy used his gum gum arm to grab Asta off her ship and returned with her in hand and Hulder clinging onto Luffy._

_"You're April sister!" Sanji yelled angrily._

_"Yes, indeed I am." Came the reply, quite calmly._

_"You're gonna be sorry that your her sister! She's part of my crew now, and no one hurts them!" Luffy shouts._

_"Oh really, now?" Asta asked nonchalantly, a grin crossing over her face. "After what I do to you, you're gonna be sorry that she's in your crew."_

_Robin pinned Asta down and Nami sent a Cyclone Tempo at her, while Luffy hit her with a gum gum pistol, Usopp shot an exploding an exploding star, Franky, Brooke and Chopper snuck up and attacked Hulder, and Sanji kicked Hulder into the water._

_Asta just smiled and let them attack her._

_Suddenly she lashes out at all eight of them, entwining them all in their own separate cocoon._

_Soon Zoro clomped up the stairs, and Luffy, weakening, shouted, "Zoro! Go away, it's a trap!"_

_Zoro jumped away as Asta sent a sea thread at him. Zoro leaped around his crew, swords flashing and cutting slits into the cocoons that surrounded his nakama, leaving Asta completely unaware of his intentions._

_He had finally gotten everyone loose and was taking a breath when he was tangled up in his own cocoon._

_"No more mistakes," Asta hissed, and covered everyone's mouth with sea thread. She freezes as she hears a noise on the steps._

* * *

"Now, my dear sister-" Asta begins again, starting to grow agitated.

Luffy springs on board, followed closely by Brooke, Chopper, and Robin. Soon Sanji, Zoro, Nami, Franky, and Usopp burst through their cocoons.

Luffy takes one look at April sobbing on deck and glares at Asta, a menacing look in his eyes.

"You made her cry?" Luffy demands, and Asta nods tantalizingly. "WELL THEN I'M GONNA KICK YOUR SORRY ASS FARTHER THAN THE DEPTHS OF HELL!"

* * *

**Author's note**

**WELLLLL, that was an interesting chapter. May be ZoroXApril soon! :)**

**Funny notes:**

**Auto correct kept changing Luffy to puffy :(**

**Pairings!**

**Good ones:**

**Sanji/ Nami**

**Zoro/ no one or OC**

**OK ones:**

**Zoro/ Sanji**

**Zoro/ Robin**

**Luffy/ Zoro**

**Chopper/ Nami**

**BAD ONES:**

**Zoro/ Nami**

**Luffy/ Nami**

**Robin/ Nami**


	5. The End of the Pain

Asta turns in surprise and fury as Luffy springs on deck. April looks up, still crying as Luffy strides over to them, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry, April, we're all fine." Luffy reassures her, then turns to Asta. "NOW YOU DIE, APRIL'S SISTER!" He roars, charging at her.

Asta gulps, and stumbles over Zoro. "Looking for a way out, loser?" Seeming pleased with himself, he grabs her by the collar and hoists her up in the air. "Ready Luffy?"

"No! No! Please, no! I didn't want to, no, it was only to stay alive...please!" Asta begs, beginning to sob now. "I don't want to die! It was the only way..."

"By killing innocent people and bossing your brother around and hurting your sister?" Sanji demands, stealing a loving glance at April, five feet away.

Asta looks up dangerously, suddenly calm again. "Fine. If you want to fight me, then fight me, I will w-"

"You will die if you try to take the nine of us on by yourself," Robin interrupts coolly and equally as calmly, beginning to sprout arms to stop Asta from struggling.

Asta looks crazed, loses it, and yells, "Hulder! Come save me!"

Nothing happens, and Asta screams, spit flying out of her mouth, "HULDER! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU! I'M ABOUT TO DIE! PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME! Spare me..."

"When your victims cried for help, did you grant them their wish?" Luffy demands dangerously, and Asta jerks her head. "Then you deserve no better."

He takes an advancing step, and starts beating the stuffing out of her.

The crew stands in shock- they haven't seen Luffy this angry since the Enies Lobby when they were rescuing Robin. The seven of them (Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, and Franky) exchange worried glances.

"YOU! NO ONE DES-ERVES TO BE TREAT-ED THIS WAY ESP-ECIAL-LY BY THEIR OWN SIST-ER- YOU WILL PAY...!" Luffy yells, and with each syllable, he hits Asta. "YOU WILL NOT HURT MY CREW! NO ONE HURTS MY NAK-AM-A!"

Suddenly, Asta lashes out, hitting Luffy with a sea whip. "Oof!" Luffy lands on the deck fifty feet away, now unconscious from the over exposure to sea stones.

"Captain!" April moans, limping over to him.

"You!" Asta reaches with the sea stone whip and wraps up April. April whimpers as Asta snarls, "If any one of you so much as moves a half of a centimeter, I will squeeze the air out of her lungs- but not until she's suffered enough." The straw hats freeze. "Good. Now tell me where the lightning bolt is."

"Frank...y has it...in his secret...arm comp...artment..."April gasps, the life force draining out of her.

"Give it to me..." Asta hisses, advancing on Franky. April looks desprately at him and passes out. Chopper looks on the verge of tears, hiding behind Nami's legs.

"April!" Franky yells, looking around wildly, trying to figure out what to do. "Wellll, you want it? Let's see what we have for you. NAMI! Clone- er, SUPER FATA MORGANA!"

Asta finds herself surrounded by countless numbers of each of the straw hat pirates. Glaring, she roars in anger as a Zoro slashes her on the arm, making her drop April.

She crumples to the ground, and a Chopper hurries over to her. Asta attacks it, and it disappears into thin air. Screaming, Asta destroys many more clones- lashing out at all she can see.

Bruises and cuts appear on Asta, making her angrier and more tough. Dust clouds float around every where, and a figure arises from the shadows.

Luffy steps forward, a look of determination on his face. Asta finds herself surrounded by nine of the straw hats, all of them angry or furious.

It only takes on hit, and Luffy and his crew are victorious.

* * *

Dinner is quiet for once, each of the straw hat pirates lost in their own thoughts. None of them know why, but they all feel drawn towards April (Who is still unconscious down stairs). They not only want to protect her, or_ have_ to protect her, they _need_ to protect her.

"Why," Sanji croaks tiredly, "did her sister care so much about herself?"

"But don't we all?" Zoro asks evenly, fishing extra chicken out of his soup.

"No. Everyone in the crew has other family somewhere else, Zoro." Nami replies. "And I'm sure that we all care about them more than anything else."

Luffy, having been quiet for too long, speaks up. "I think Asta just wanted to find that treasure and be the hero."

"Yeah, but sell her own sister out? Come on!" Usopp grumbles, "Nami would never do that to Nijoko! Not even for gold!"

"Yeah. I love gold," Nami admits, nodding, "But I love Nijoko, April, and you guys much more." Sanji nearly faints, hearts in his eyes, swooning.

"And meat is GOOD, I LOVE meat, but I love you guys more!" Luffy agrees, snapping back into his normal self.

* * *

Luffy wakes April up (after Chopper's warning and reminder that she's delicate and healing) and Zoro helps again to bring her up top.

The ten straw hats light _The Cry of The Shar_k on fire, and stand united, their faces glowing red from the fire. "Bye, pain causer!" Luffy yells, waving.

The fire dies down and the ash blows away. The crew, save April, leaves the deck. "Goodbye bad memories." April whispers, "Goodbye."

* * *

Author's note-

Sorry it took so long! It was my birthday recently, and then I had a few plays to be in and some writing classes. From now, I'm gonna try to update about every week!

Thank you for sticking with April so far! Please R&R and share!


	6. New Feelings

Luffy jumps out of bed the next morning. Something is wrong, he can feel it. There isn't the smell of breakfast that normally comed from the kitchen. But Sanji isn't in bed, and neither are any of the other boys.

Wandering into the kitchen, Luffy sees flour spread across the counter, strawberries littering the floor, and sausage hanging out from the freezer. Where is Sanji?

Then Luffy hears a muffled cry and looks up. Sanji's dangling from the ceiling by the belt from his chef's apron, gagged with an oven mitt.

Luffy's mouth drops open. "Sanji?" He helps his cook down, and Sanji catches his breath. "How- who did this to you?"

"I don't know. Snuck up behind me." Sanji grunts. "Shitty swordsman better not of dunnit." He growls. "I hope the girls are ok."

"Zoro wouldn't have ever done such a thing. C'mon, let's go find the others, then you can make me breakfast." Luffy comments, tugging on Sanji's sleeve.

Together, they find a frustrated Nami in her bedroom, standing next to an empty treasure chest. "Who did this?" Nami complains, stamping her foot as Sanji sweeps her up into a hug.

"I don't know, Nami-swan, but I swear we will find out who did." Sanji coos, cradling her in his arms.

"Where's Robin and April?" Luffy asks concernedly.

"I took a shower, and Robin went to the library, and April went to visit Usopp to get her whip fixed," Nami begins, holding back a sob. "And I came out and all of my money and valuables were gone!"

Everyone is found in a similar fashion: Zoro dangling above the fish tank with his swords at the bottom; Usopp lying unconscious in a puddle of tomato juice; April tied up with her whip in the bathtub in the extra bathroom; Franky's creations smashed, Franky sobbing, tied to one of his chairs; all of Brook's instruments are destroyed and his bones cracked; Chopper's medicines scattered and disorganized; and finally, they come to the library.

Books are everywhere, pages flying about as the nine of them enter, finding Robin handcuffed and unconscious and tied to an empty bookshelf.

"Who did all this? I'm gonna kick their ass!" Luffy yells, glaring around the room. "We're gonna find the stowaway, and dump them overboard! You hear that stowaway? We're gonna dump you over board!"

Zoro looks up. "Or," He says dangerously, "We have a traitor in our midst."

Sanji cooks a wonderful meal, but it just sits on the table growing cold. The majority of the crew is mad at Zoro for thinking that there's a traitor, because Luffy's entirely into that idea and glaring at them all.

"I will find the traitor, and we will fix the problem. If you don't come clean RIGHT NOW, and I find you out later, you'll be sorry!" Luffy chokes out, tears streaming down his face. "LIKE I SAID BEFORE, NO ONE HURTS MY CREW AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!"

The crew is silent, looking around at each other suspiciously. "No one? Well then, we'll go in the order you joined me. I don't want to hurt you guys, so forgive me if you aren't the traitor. I don't want any of you to be the traitor, but if none of you speak up, I'll interrogate all of you!"

Luffy rounds on Zoro. "Are you the traitor? You never wanted to join my crew! And you're the one who suggested there was a traitor! Zoro! Answer me honestly. Are you the traitor? I saved you! From the Marines, remember? You're my first mate!" Zoro sits there and stares, not answering Luffy.

"What about you, Catburgler Nami? How do I know you didn't steal the money yourself, eh? Or your loyalties lie with your town? Are you trying to rip me off like you kinda did with Arlong?" Luffy yells, and Nami stares up at him, sobbing.

Luffy turns to Usopp. "If anyone, it'd be Usopp- you lie all the time! You're not the captain of this ship, I am. I am. I am the captain, and I order you to tell me if you are the traitor." Silence.

"Sanji, you are the never wanted to join me either. And you hate Zoro! Is all you care about girls and cooking? Or are you really just part of the crew?"

"Just part of the crew, Luffy," Sanji croaks, and Luffy pushes him aside, looking at Chopper.

"We scare you, don't we?" Luffy asks with a small smile on his face. "Well, if you're hurting the crew, you're going to get a lot more scared of us!" Chopper whimpers, and hides behind Robin.

"Luffy-san-" Robin begins, but gets cut off by Luffy.

"Robin," he says quietly, "I trust you a whole lot. If you're the traitor and you don't tell me now, I'll- I'll-" He breaks down sobbing, mumbling, "I hate this, I hate this, I really do."

"It could be Franky, he has his family to take care of...It could be Brook... It could be April- whom which we know barely anything about... It could be any of you..." Luffy whispers, falling asleep in the corner.

"Captain-san," Robin begins again. "Guys, there's someone outside."

The nine awake people cram through the door to see a proud Ace. "Where's my brother?"

"So because of all of these disasters, Luffy thinks there's a stowaway?" Ace sums up, having a coffee.

April looks at it curiously. Zoro hands her his cup, and she takes a sip, surprised at the rich flavour, aroma, and temperature.

"And or a traitor," Nami and Robin add hurriedly, "And he's got everyone worried."

April curls up next to Zoro, falling asleep with the coffee still in her hand- it tips and spills, so Sanji quickly wipes it up with a wet towel.

"You think I can/ should help?" Ace asks, looking at the nine of them

"If you think you can help, please do. That'd be super." Franky says quickly, tired as well. The crew says goodnight to Ace, setting him up in a hammock on the deck.

Zoro carries April into the girls' room. "Take care of her, ok?" He tells Robin and Nami gruffly, setting April gently on the bed. Zoro leaves and shuts the door.

In spite of all of the tension, Nami and Robin giggle while changing into their jammies. "I think swordsman-san has a little crush," Robin comments, and the two girls fall over onto their beds in laughter.

They calm down, and Robin turns the lights out. "Goodnight, Nami-san." No one answers. "Nami?"

"Robin?" Nami's voice calls out shakily, and Robin turns the lights back on to see Nami crying silently. Robin gets up and sits on the bed with Nami, wrapping her in a hug. "Wh- what if it's Sanji?"

Robin looks at the younger woman in surprise. "Nami-san, I know you've had feelings for him for a while now, and that's great. I really don't think that it's cook-san, or anyone else on this ship. It has to be a stowaway."

"You really don't think it's Sanji?" Nami demands, clearly worried.

"Hush, Nami-san. Luffy-san shouldn't have a reason to doubt him; and the rest of the crew- save maybe swordsman-san- trusts him too." Robin answers softly, patting Nami's fiery hair. "I think you two would be a nice couple."

"Can you sing?" Nami asks, thinking of how Robin is like and older sister to her. Robin nods and beings a lullaby.

Sanji sits with his back resting against the girls' bedroom door. Robin's words float back to him as she sings Nami the lullaby, 'I know you've had feelings for him for a while,' 'You two would be a nice couple.'

_Nami wants to be with me! Me! _

_But she's scared and sad,_ he thinks,_ I need to find out who this traitor is. For Luffy, for the rest of the crew, even Zoro, but most of all, for Nami._


	7. Love in the Air

DISCLAIMER: I keep forgetting to do these! Anyway, I don't own any of One Piece at ALL. All rights go to Oda-Sensei

* * *

Sanji taps on the door to the girls' room, carrying a tray of three coffees . . . although one is more special. The door opens and Sanji sees Nami wrapped in a blanket.

He takes the purple cup and hands it to Nami. "For Robin," He picks up the multicoloured pink cup, and after Nami passes the purple one to Robin, Sanji hands her the pink one, "For April," She passes it on to April, and finally hands an orange one to Nami, "For you."

He shuts the door and retreats. A minute later he hears Nami speak in delight. "Robin, April-!" A pause. "There's a heart in the coffee!"

Zoro walks to his normal nap time spot find Ace already there, asleep. He sighs and lays down next to him. That's when he realizes that Ace is wearing a black bandanna like the rest of the Straw Hats save April. Under each tie is an X to make sure that no one is being copied by the Swan Guy Zoro can't remember the name of.

Carefully, as to not wake Ace or not Ace, Zoro unties the black cloth on Ace/ not Ace's arm. Underneath is an X. Zoro doesn't know what to do. Does Ace just want to fit in? Well, he's not, because the crew stopped using the cloths and the X's a while ago.

Zoro shrugs and falls asleep next to Ace.

Luffy walks around stiffly and tiredly, even more angry then when he was mad at Asta. His hair is extra messy, and there are bags under his eyes and his eyes are red. He wanders about, muttering about traitors and stowaways and why.

"They must really hate me and my nakama... if they're going this far to hurt us...April and Robin are so upset! They finally found a place to be loved...and there I go acusing them...but no one in my crew would ever do that to anyone else...not even Zoro to Sanji or vice versa..."

He stops as he comes across Zoro and Ace snoring away on deck. "Typical..." He murmurs. Then something strikes him. "GUYS!" Luffy yells, and everyone else comes running, waking Zoro and Ace.

After everyone is gathered, Luffy rounds on Ace. "Where did you come from and who are you?"

"I'm Ace-" Ace begins.

"How did you get on my ship, brother- if you really are my brother. We're surrounded by water...and you have a devil fruit so you can't swim. Are you the one hurting my crew?!" Luffy yells, shaking the person who's supposed to be his brother.

"I confess!" Ace falls over dramatically, like a girl dying. "Captain Luffy!" The man cries, slapping himself on the face. He turns into the Swan Man. "Pleasure to meet you again! Yes, I am the one who hurt your crew-" He freezes in terror at the look on Luffy's face. "But they made me! They were going to kill me! I had to! I stowed away! I was press ganged into her crew!"

Luffy growls and punches the Swan Man. Zoro holds Luffy back and Luffy shouts, "Lock him up somewhere! Sanji!" Luffy yells as Zoro drags him into the boys' room to calm down.

Sanji grabs Swan Man's arm and starts bringing him to the cleaning closet when he touches his face and turns into Nami. "If I let you kiss me, will you let me go?" Swan man taunts pleadingly, knowing what will get to Sanji.

"Kick him!" Nami snarls, flashing Swan Man a look of daggers.

"I can't kick a girl!"

"It's not a girl! It's Swan Man trying to trick you!" Nami pleads, looking Sanji directly in the eye.

Sanji summons the courage, tells himself that it's not Nami, and kicks the Swan Man. He rolls over in pain, turning back into himself. "I'll c-come quietly then..." Swan Man whimpers.

* * *

Dinner comes again, a delicious spaghetti with chunks of broccoli. The crew is again noisy and lively, Sanji flirting with April and Robin, trying to make Nami jealous. She doesn't know that he's doing it on purpose, and is hurt. She excuses herself to go to an early bed.

"That's unlike her." Franky comments. "She's not her normal super-self." The nine other members of the crew watch Nami disappear, and Sanji turns red, muttering something about it being his fault.

"How could it be your fault?" Luffy laughs, arm wrestling with Usopp on the table. Sanji smiles painfully- he really didn't mean to cause his beautiful Nami so much pain.

"Hey guys, later this night, let's have a campfire!" Luffy announces, the past of Swan Man already gone from his mind. "And we can roast marshmellows and make s'mores and tell cool secrets and have funnnnn!"

Robin hurries to go tell Nami, bringing April with her. Zoro falls asleep at the table, Chopper and Brooke help clear up dinner, Franky and Usopp gather old scraps to make the fire, and after a moments hesitation, Sanji follows the girls.

Sitting outside the girls' room has become quite a habit for Sanji. He settles down to listen to the girls talk. He pulls out a cigarette, and lights it.

"...He just makes me so mad!" Nami exclaims. Sanji nearly chokes on his cigarette. "I mean, he's all lovey-dovey with me, but then he goes and tries to flirt with you two!"

"Nami-san, he's just trying to make you jealous." Robin explains, and Sanji settles down again.

"Why would he do that?" Asks the inexperienced April, and Sanji chuckles.

"Because he wants to attract Nami-san's attention to himself. It's men's way of getting a girl to notice them extra specially." Robin finishes. She pauses for a moment, and then adds, "And tonight Luffy-san said we're having a big campfire and spilling all of our secrets."

* * *

Author's note

Why is life so conflicting? I went to camp and then realized I was behind on all of my stories! Sorry guys!

Can't wait to write about the campfire- inspired by my camp~!


	8. Surprises

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece- all rights to Oda-sensei

* * *

The ten Straw Hats gather around an amazing, burning, high fire, sitting around it in a large circle in no particular order; Luffy, Nami, Sanji, April, Zoro, Brooke, Franky, Robin, Usopp, and Chopper.

All of them have an extendable roasting stick (built quickly by Franky) to roast marshmallows at whatever distance they choose to be from the fire. "These roasting sticks are really cool, Franky!" Chopper praises, and Franky grins. Despite the excitement, Sanji, Nami, Zoro, and Franky are not really enjoying themselves. They're really not looking forward to sharing secrets- or admitting they have one.

Luffy smiles at his nakama. "Alright, secrets time! First, tell us about your favourite family member. Then, if you have a crush on someone, you tell that. If you don't- and no lying!- then you tell us about someone special. Kay? And if you seriously have no one, talk about someone in the crew that is your good friend!" He turns to Nami. "You go first!" She moans and shakes her head. "Alright then, Brooke, you can go first."

Brooke announces, "Well, you guys are like my family... and the special person is you, Luffy! You asked me to join your crew...and other people are afraid of me...and you're helping me to get to my dream. Thank you!"

Everyone looks pointedly at Franky, and he turns a little pink. "Well, my family member (favourite) is April. You already know her. And, um, this is super awkward..." He pauses and Luffy looks encouragingly at him. "Well, um, um, I like um, ... Robin..." The guys of the crew ooh and Robin and Nami exchange glances.

"My mother is obviously very important. And good news for Franky- san, because that's who I like." Robin explains nonchalantly, gazing deep into the fire.

"I- my father is my hero. He's even greater than me- and that's pretty great." Usopp gets lost in thought, then returns. "I guess, well, my crush is Kaya, from my village."

Chopper confesses, "I don't really know my family... but you guys are my family and I'm so happy I get to be with you! You all are so special to me."

"You guys know Ace! He's awesome! Unlike Bon Clay- who was faking it. Anyway, I think I'm in love with Caymy! She's so pretty. But she's a mermaid, so I don't think that it would work out so welll..." Luffy says.

"Well, Bellemere and Nojiko are my family. My mother and my sister... and... Luffy, can I please not say?" Nami chokes out, getting red in the face. Luffy winks at her.

"Kay, we can skip it as long as you tell Sanji who it is after!" Luffy grins, then turns to Sanji. Looking a little too over excited, he says, "Your turn!"

He's trembling as he speaks. "Old man Zeff is my only family. And you guys already know that I'm head over heels for Nami." He looks at her sadly, and her mouth drops open. Sanji raises his eyebrow, not believing that she didn't know.

"I don't have any one important to me in my blood family, but I have Franky as my adopted family." April starts, then sighs. "I don't really have a crush on someone, know someone special, and I don't know any of you well enough to say something nice about besides Franky..."

"Well, who's the person you're closest to?" Luffy questions, "Besides Franky."

"Zoro." April answers right away, unfazed. The other straw hats gasp collectively as Zoro's face turns red, clashing with his green hair. Then April notices what she said and blushes too.

Luffy looks around at everyone, then bursts out laughing. Wiping away his tears, Luffy turns to Zoro, pointing. "Now it's your turn, Zoro."

Zoro, having recovered and turned back to normal, looks down at his feet. "I've never fallen in love before, but I- I think I'm in love with-"

Suddenly, the ship lurches, rocking back and forth from a humongous wave, and every one falls over, Nami grabbing for Sanji as a large object tumbles towards Chopper- she tries to shove him out of the way- then Nami and Chopper are trapped under a heavy table and Sanji rushes to free them when a cannon tears through the ship's side.

"The Thousand Sunny! How could they?!" Luffy roars, leaning over the deck. He peers behind them and shouts, "MARINES! DAMMIT!" He turns back around to see Bon Clay/ swan man sneaking around on deck. "You bastard! Someone get him!" Luffy crosses his arms, wishing the pain for his crew would end forever.

Zoro grabs the Bon Clay and drags him back to the closet. Sanji finally frees Nami and Chopper from the table. Franky puts out the camp fire with his water gun and April and Robin assume their attack stances.

The Marines swarm on deck, and for April, it's de ja vu.

A cumulonimbus gathers itself together above the ship and Nami stands and stares at it in awe. "I never-" She begins, but then April screams for the Strawhats to retreat.

Lightning flashes and strikes a few of the Marines, rain falls down in sheets and Nami meets Sanji in the middle of the deck, their clothes sopping wet. "Are you going to tell me?" Sanji asks hopefully, already knowing who it is.

"Tell you what?" Nami replies teasingly, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"Who you like."

"How about I show you?"

"Show me-?" Sanji begins, but is cut off when Nami meets him full on the lips. It's what Sanji's been after since the moment he laid eyes on her; he'd always loved Nami.

They suddenly felt hands pull them away from eachother, and they reached for eachother, but were tugged in opposite directions.

Luffy's crew is now in the hands of the Marines.

* * *

Author's note:

sorry for leaving you on a sad note- but more is coming soon! SO many ideas...

being a freshman with all honors classes is time consuming, but i'm getting used to it...

EMJAY now- EmJay signing out


	9. True Feelings

Zoro sneezes the rest of the chloroform out of his system, and opens his eyes to no better. He is surrounded by complete darkness. "Luffy?" He calls out softly, thinking of the rest of the crew as well.

"Shitty swordsman, it's just me and April and you." Sanji's voice floats out somewhere to the left of him. Even though it's still dark and no one can see anything, Zoro grins. In spite of all the damage and destruction the crew has recently suffered, Sanji still has his hate for Zoro. And Zoro doesn't hate Sanji... he just doesn't agree with his existence.

The last thing Zoro remembers before being knocked out is Nami and Sanji kissing on deck, the Marines crawling all over the deck of the Thousand Sunny, and April being hit by a-

"Damn, April, are you alright?" Zoro demands suddenly, making her and Sanji jump. Zoro becomes more aware of their surroundings- the three of them are chained to the wall by their feet, and locked up in some sort of cell.

The chains clink as April winds her way over to Zoro. "I'm fine, my leg has a bruise on it and that's all. Are_ you_ alright? They got you with chloroform?" April questions, sitting down next to Zoro.

"Guys, don't leave me in the corner by myself!" Sanji complains and scoots over to Zoro and April. "Oh, I hope Robin-chan and Nami-swan are ok!" Then Sanji shuts up, lost in his own thoughts.

With Zoro's amazing skills, he's able to figure out that they've been in here four hours after he had awakened, and now it was nearly five in the morning- but still pitch black. He lifts his hand two inches away from his face but still can't see it.

His cell mates had been quiet for the past two hours, after working out a keeping watch/ guard system. Zoro knows that if he needs to, he could stay awake for a week- that's why he naps so often- so he can be more awake, alert, and rested.

He has his legs crossed and his arms folded over his chest and leans against the wall. Suddenly Zoro realizes that April has fallen asleep next to him, with her head resting on his shoulder, and he feels a flush creep across his face.

Luckily Sanji and April are asleep and can't see anything anyway- and Sanji would never let him hear the end of it if he knew that Zoro was experiencing his first crush.

That's right, Zoro has a crush on April- although he doesn't really know why or what he should do. He's never been in love before either, so he just assumes that that's what love feels like.

And there was no way in Heaven or Hell that he would talk to Sanji about it- Sanji was all over all kinds of girls and the whole Nami thing was probably only a temporary thing anyway.

He looks down at the fifteen year old before remembering that it was too dark and he can't see anything.

There is only one question in his mind: (He wasn't complaining or anything) Why does April trust him so much?

* * *

Nami moans. Her upper torso is in so much pain from when the table fell on her and Chopper. And not to mention that she's in the same cell as Usopp and Chopper- and neither of them will shut up.

"I think we should call on Sogeking, and he can come and rescue us." Usopp remarks, then notices Nami's silence. "Nami? Do you miss Sanji?"

Silence.

"Can I help your bruise feel better?" Chopper asks not unkindly, "That table really hurt when it fell on us, huh?"

Nami sighs and lets Chopper tend to her wound. Usopp is right, she _does_ miss Sanji. "Anything else hurt?" Chopper presses, concerned about his friend and fellow crew mate.

"My heart," Nami whispers, crumpling down onto her knees. Tears slip down her cheeks.

Sanji was _always_ there for her, making her delicious things to eat, praising her actions, admiring her beauty, and now- everything she had left the Marines had taken from her.

But the kiss, oh, the kiss! Fire had soared through her heart when her lips met Sanji's and she was sure- she loves him.

Then Usopp and Chopper's arms slide around her. "Nami, you don't just have to rely on Luffy and Sanji, alright?" Chopper assures her.

Usopp tells her, "The crew will always be there for you- and more specifically, _we'll_ be there for you."

* * *

Robin clutches a rib that she's sure is broken, and gently pops Brooke's arm back in his arm socket. "Thanks, Robin-chan!" Brooke exclaims, and Robin turns to tend Franky.

Franky's in worse condition- banged up, an arm broken, and hair flat. By the little light she has, Robin takes of Franky's shirt and makes a sling for his arm. He's unconscious and Brooke isn't much of a help either.

Finishing up with the little length from the wall she has (these three are also chained by their feet too), Robin sits down next to Franky, taking his large hand into her two small ones.

Brooke pretends to fall asleep, but Robin truly falls into a deep and dreamless sleep, doing her best to stay connected to her superman.

* * *

It takes more than fifty men to restrain the young captain Luffy- he's even tied up down to the floor in sea rope and still struggling.

"The legendary Captain Luffy of the ten Straw Hat pirates." The captain of the Marines yells, and Luffy stops struggling for a minute.

"What the hell have you done to my crew, bastard?!" Luffy screams, ripping the sea ropes right out of the hands of the men. _When will the pain stop? Why does everyone hate my nakama so much?_

"I've locked them all up separately, alone, in the dark, in an isolation tank." The Captain taunts, knowing it will provoke Luffy. "Most captains have their crew just to man a ship. You, on the other hand love your crew more than you love yourself. Why?"

Luffy remains silent, and the Marine captain hits him and throws him around. "Look at the great captain Luffy D. Monkey now, always watching out for his crew, always saving their butts, and now, he's here all alone, can't do anything to save them, when in fact they are perfectly capable of saving themselves. Zoro's definitely the strongest, eh? He's probably already broken himself and the rest of your so called crew out, and Usopp is their new captain. Sanji's taken April, _and_ Robin, **_and_** Nami to bed with him-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP OLD MAN!" The Marine Captain steps back in shock. Luffy sits there, an angry look in his eyes, seething. "My crew is the most important thing in the whole world for me. I'd give my life for each of them a thousand times over so they'd never be hurt and never have to cry again, do you understand?! They are there to support me and each other, and I am their leader and will bring them out of the dark and into the light. You're trying to beat the love out of me? Well guess what Marines, and guess what, world, you can't."

* * *

Author's note:

This was one of the most powerful things I have ever written.

Hope you enjoyed! If you did, please review, favourite, and share with your friends!

EmJay, signing out! :D


	10. The Fire

Hope restored, Nami reaches into her shirt and pulls out a bobby pin. She unlocks the chains binding Usopp, Chopper, and herself to the wall. Usopp pats her on the back, and the three brave souls make their way into the light.

"What are we planning on doing?" Chopper whispers, looking up trustfully at Nami.

"You'll see. Usopp, got your exploding stars?" Usopp nods, and the three Straw Hats step into the hallway.

"Where do you think they put Luffy?" Usopp inquires, turning to Chopper, who already has his nose out, ready to sniff.

"This way," The reindeer says, leading Nami and Usopp back toward their beloved captain.

* * *

Robin shakes Franky awake. "Franky-san! The gaurds have taken Brooke away!" Robin informs the rubbing his eyes Franky and he sits up.

"Robin, you know you can just call me Franky."

"I'll try Franky-san- I mean Franky." Robin answers, smiling up at him.

Franky blasts their chains off, "Super~!" And the two of them begin to follow the faint footsteps down a hall.

* * *

April awakes surrounded by warmth, and curls up closer to the source of the warmness. Then her eyes shot open. If she's leaning on Zoro's shoulder, and he's got his arm around her, then what's hugging her middle?!

Of course, it's twirly eyebrow creepy blonde guy- Sanji. Peeling him off, April scoots closer to Zoro, only to be stopped by the chain.

Zoro wakes up to April's movement, senses Sanji inching towards her, and Zoro jumps up, tugging the chain out of the wall.

"Z-Zoro?" April asks, frightened by his strength. Best she can, April glares at Sanji as he takes her hand. "What about Nami?!" She hisses and he drops her hand instantaneously.

"I'm going to go find my swords and cut you guys loose. Stay here and I'll be back momentarily." Zoro leaves and Sanji mutters something about trying not to get lost.

"Zoro!" April cries and he steps back into the cell. "Don't leave!"

"Why not?"

"Just, just don't..." April's eyes cast downward. Leaning to his ear, she whispers, "Sanji scares me..."

"Don't worry. The shitty cook won't hurt you- he's chained to the wall," Zoro murmurs back in undertone.

"But-"

"Alright, alright. Let me see if I can pull the chains off." Zoro grumbles.

Sanji cries out in alarm as Zoro rips the chains from the wall, and April trips over the broken chain.

"How'd you-" Sanji begins

"The chain is only as strong as the weakest link." Zoro explains, "and you only have to find it to break it off."

Sanji shrugs and the three of them make their way out. Little do they know that their little conversation was being over heard.

* * *

Eight of the ten Straw Hats meet up in an intersecting hallway, hugs go around, a little kiss between Sanji and Nami- lips to cheek. "Where's Luffy and Brooke?"

"They took Brooke-san while Franky and I were resting." Robin replies.

"This way!" Chopper calls, leading the way.

After ten steps, the crew is again surrounded by marines, more than a hundred thousand. Someone wants them. Someone wants them _bad._

"Well well well. Would you look at that? Almost all of the Straw Hats and we even have the Electric Vampire here as well. This is just our luck day boys, huh?" A voice announces, and a figure steps out of the shadows. A mystery man grins. The crew groans inwardly. "Tie them to the freeze- burn rope."

The men oblige, and the crew is soon tied up with one rope, in a circle, holding each other above a flaming lava pit. "You will be turned frozen, and then when one of you cannot stand the cold anymore and loses strength, they will not be able to support anyone, and you will all fall into the pit."

"The weakest link," Zoro mumbles numbly, not believing that it was his own words that would cause him and his crew to die. After all they had been through together... and before what he and April could be- it would never be able to happen. And if they did get out of it, Sanji would kill him for almost killing the crew, and he wouldn't be able to face April.

"Yes, Roronoa Zoro, that's right. Your own words '_The chain is only as strong as its weakest link_' shall be the death of you. Let's see how strong the weakest one of you is, shall we?"

* * *

"I'm the weakest guys, I'm sorry~!" April sobs, her arms beginning to weaken.

"No! It's my fault! I'm the smallest! I am in no way of comparison to Franky or especially Zoro!" Chopper reassured. Each crew mate was thinking about how strong he/ she could have been, physically or emotionally, one of them would eventually crack and they'd all die.

They all start yelling over each other, shouting apologies, each one of them beginning to cry, each one of them beginning to wish they were stronger, each one of them full of nostalgia for the good old days.

Tears streaming down her face, April apologizes. "It's not a lie and we all know it- I'm the weakest one... I don't think I can make it another ten minutes guys, I'm sorry, it's all my fault but you were the best month of my life! I'm sorry, so so sorry..."

Zoro, having been quiet for a while looks up. "Don't you dare talk like that." He growls. "You think that Luffy wanted us in his crew for no reason? Well he wanted us in his crew because he knew we were strong and he knew he could count on us. So let's give it our best, alright?"

That was the most touching thing Zoro had ever said to anyone. April's eyes well up again and she begins to cry, nodding. Zoro mentally slaps himself- why did he have to make her cry?

"It's not your fault," Robin says, reading his mind. She nods to the Marines. "It's theirs."

* * *

Luffy rips the chain out of the wall. The men fall over, and the Marine Captain takes a step back.

The Marine Captain doesn't like the fire in Luffy's eyes. It roars and crackles, figuratively, and the Marine Captain stumbles away in fear. "If you have made anyone of them loose a single tear," Luffy begins in a dangerously calm tone, "May God have mercy on your damned soul!"

* * *

Author's note

If you caught the Doctor Who reference, then I love you.

If you looked back and are laughing now, I still love you.

If you've got no idea what I'm talking about but read it anyway and review and share, I'll love you forever.

If you do all of those things, then I DEFINITELY love you a lot.


	11. Wind

10 minutes remaining

Luffy storms out of the room the Marines had kept him in, electricity crackling down his body, his eyes tense and alert, the wind whistling through his hair. "No one. No one. NO ONE HURTS MY NAKAMA!" He yells, tearing down doors a rampaging through the hallway.

The Marines cower in their uniforms, hide behind door ways, and stop dead when they feel Luffy's gaze on them. "P-p-please, sp- spare me," Luffy hits each Marine that begs for mercy, and they fall over, playing dead.

"Pathetic." Luffy spits, his walk more brisk.

"Yes, yes we are pathetic. Please, spare us-"

"NEVER!" Luffy roars, on a rampage. He kicks each and every Marine out of the way. Some flee, some hide, some freeze where they are, unable to move. They are terrified of the monster who is going to avenge his crew.

* * *

9 minutes remaining

Her arms hurt like hell. Like they're on fire. April sucks in her cheeks and does the best not to cry. She's losing her strength along with everyone else. Nami, Chopper, Robin, Usopp, Sanji.

_Zoro ... I'm so sorry ... This is all my fault ... We're all gonna die ... Luffy! Where are you? ... please ... save us ..._

_Please ..._

She brought it on all of them. If they hadn't stopped for her, they could have been long gone and safe, and they wouldn't have to die... And Zoro wouldn't have to die either...

April closes her eyes as a single tear leaks out.

* * *

8 1/2 minutes remaining.

Zoro looks at his crew mates. _All my fault ... Why... why can't I give them my strength? Where... where is Luffy? ... He will save us ... I know he will ... I won't ever be able to face any of them again ... all my fault ... April ... I'm sorry ..._

His gaze wanders over to her. She's crying.

_I swear, on pain of death, I will be there for her._

"April." Zoro mumbles tiredly, but she doesn't hear him. "April!" He says more loudly. She looks up. "Believe in yourself. You can do it."

"I- I can't ..." She cries, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't let go. Don't give up. Luffy will be here. He will."

* * *

6 minutes remaining

Luffy bangs a random door open, throwing aside a Marine. The Marine flies over board, the wind catches him and blows him away. Furious now, Luffy hits every door open, looking for his beloved crew.

* * *

5 minutes remaining

"Nami." Sanji says, just like the marimo to April. "Nami, marry me."

She looks at the cook. Her cook. Her Sanji. What she wouldn't give to get them out of this, marry, maybe raise a few kids. She looks at him again.

Blonde hair sticking to his face in sweat, stringy but still gold. Dark eyes full of love and concern. Curly eyebrow less curly and going limp.

Sanji. He is hers. And she is his. A simple answer. Did he even need to ask? He already knew the answer from the day that they met. Or did he? Maybe he loved her too much to realize it at the time. She had always loved him. Sure, he could be annoying at times, but there was always tomorrow. Or was there? With their situation ... there not might be.

"FRANKY!" Nami yells, and Franky jumps in surprise. "MARRY US!"

"Ahh... Ok..." Franky begins uncertainly, "Ahem. Do you, Sanji, take Nami, to be your wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do." Sanji states, as the crew looks on wistfully.

"And uh, do you, Nami, take Sanji, to be your husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do." Nami answers, cracking a grin despite the pain.

"You may now... kiss...? The bride..." Franky announces, confused.

Nami and Sanji blow each other kisses best they can and the crew cheers.

A breeze flows through, with the smell of the sea. It's cool and comforting, and there is still hope. They could get out of this. All they need is their hero. Their captain. Luffy.

* * *

2 minutes remaining

Luffy stomps into the last room on the ship. "Better be in here. Or I'll-"

He stops dead in his tracks. What the hell have they done to his crew?!

* * *

1 minute remaining

Everyone takes each other in.

They all nod simultaneously. "It's time."

"It was great to be with you guys!"

"I love you all."

"Thanks for being my family!"

"Robin..."

"Franky."

"Guys! I don't wanna die!"

"Don't worry, we'll be with you."

"April."

"Zoro?"

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"No, it was mine-!"

"Everyone, just calm down!"

"Let go. Breathe."

Sobbing, they look at each other and let go.

* * *

Author's note:

(( If you know any good One Piece fanfictions or Hetalia fanfictions (or have written some yourself) tell me in a review!

Also, don't forget to review and follow for the next chapter!

The more reviews/ follows I get makes me write faster.

Thanks guys!

~EMJAY ))


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